Reply #34: Irrational usage

[exboyfil]

I have a family member who is in a nursing home under Medicaid who insists on seeing a doctor all the time even though she is already under the care of nurses and there is nothing a doctor can do for her. There is no economic check to this demand and family members and nursing home staff have to serve as gatekeepers.

My family, because we are hit with a $80-$100 charge everytime we see a doctor, give any illness time to clear up on its own (like most viral infections do). At least my wife and I do. We are much more cautious with our children though.

In every procedure or drug prescription I actively question the doctor to ensure that such procedure or drug is necessary and why it is necessary. I do this because every expense comes out of my pocket until I hit my high deductible. I might still elect to do it otherwise, but my motivation would not be as great. I have become a more aware consumer of medical care since I was moved to the high deductible plan.

I am not saying that we should have a high deductible plan in universal health care or that the copays need to be very high, but I am saying that, free stuff tends to be consumed more than stuff that costs something. I do understand that deductibles and copays sometimes lead to undesirable results (such as avoiding treatment for medically necessary conditions). I also think no deductible or copay should apply to annual physicals.